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Paradise Pier Hotel Or Candy Cane Inn

I just went to book the Candy Cane inn for May 9th-14th 2006 and the AAA rate is N/A. They do have the deluxe and premium rooms available but not with the AAA rate. The PPH I can get a rate of $189/night -- DLH is sold out for my time frame. The difference between the Candy Cane and PPH is about $250. I have 3 small kids (6,4,2) so we do spend a fair amount of time at the pool and in the hotel (I understand I can use the DLH pool if I stay at the PPH). Would it be worth the extra $250 to stay at the PPH or should I go with the Candy Cane Inn. The breakfast isn't really a consideration as we are driving down I will have a cooler full of yogurt, muffins etc. for breakfast and snacks. I am going to book ASAP so I'd love feedback!

Along with the free breakfast, one of the benefits of staying at the Candy Cane Inn is its free shuttle. It is the same distance to the Main Entry Plaza as the Paradise Pier, but Disney expects you to walk the about 6/10th of a mile one way.

The Paradise Pier does have the better pool area, and offers room service.

I just went to book the Candy Cane inn for May 9th-14th 2006 and the AAA rate is N/A. They do have the deluxe and premium rooms available but not with the AAA rate. The PPH I can get a rate of $189/night -- DLH is sold out for my time frame. The difference between the Candy Cane and PPH is about $250. I have 3 small kids (6,4,2) so we do spend a fair amount of time at the pool and in the hotel (I understand I can use the DLH pool if I stay at the PPH). Would it be worth the extra $250 to stay at the PPH or should I go with the Candy Cane Inn. The breakfast isn't really a consideration as we are driving down I will have a cooler full of yogurt, muffins etc. for breakfast and snacks. I am going to book ASAP so I'd love feedback!

I would vote for PPH, you would get 3 days of early entry. The pool at the hotels are great. For that difference, my vote is PPH.

Better Pool, Monorail, View of DCA. Walking to and from you go through DTD, your Kids will think they are still in the park. Its not the DLH, and the hotel is really nothing special, but it is a more complete Disney experience.

Although there appears to be some different experience with this, I would not count on being able to use the pool at DLH if you are staying at PPH. If the pool at your home hotel is closed, you are usually permitted to use another DL resort hotel pool.

Although there appears to be some different experience with this, I would not count on being able to use the pool at DLH if you are staying at PPH. If the pool at your home hotel is closed, you are usually permitted to use another DL resort hotel pool.

Yep, that is what I was going to say as well.

For the price difference I would choose CCI. You get a shuttle and its cheaper. Dont get me wrong, PP is nice. We stayed there in Oct and enjoyed it- but my next two trips are booked with CCI.

I read somewhere that PPH was permitted to use the DLH pool....hmmm. As for the shuttle, I wouldn't use it at the Candy Cane. We are a "walking" family and the kids and I have been to Disneyland twice before and never had a problem walking (I'm too impatient to wait for a shuttle!) I do like the early entry idea. If I phone the PPH would I get the correct answer about using the DLH pool? That for me is a huge draw as I do plan to spend a fair amount of time at the pool with the children (we live in a community with a very, very small community pool so the children don't get a lot of opportunity to swim but all three love the water and are like little fish in it!) I think in my head I'm leaning toward the PPH...anything else to consider? Room sizes etc.?

Yes, you should get the correct answer if you call. Be sure you call the hotel itself, and not the vacation planning number. Our experience: We were told No when we called the hotel. We asked again when we were waiting to check in (conc. level), and were told no. We tried our room key at the DLH when we were walking by- I really wanted to look around! It didnt work. The last day we got a note under our door saying our pool at PP was having work done and we could use the DLH pool that day. We were unable to, because we had to catch our plane.

edit- That was this past Oct. As for room size- PP is larger, and most rooms do have a fold out sofa, which might be nice with 3 kids. They also have a pack and play in the closet if your little one still needs a crib type place to sleep.

Candy Cane Inn

The Candy Cane Inn Pool is really very nice. Sparkling clean, lots of towels. They have a regular pool, a children's wading pool, and a covered hot tub. The landscaping is impecable. Lot of flowers, twinkling lights in the trees, and cobblestone street. I also know the pool area was open late, I believe later than PPH. You might want to ask. The standard rooms are kindof small and have no closet, I think the deluxe rooms are bigger and have nice complimentary room service.

Im biased to pph. Ive never stayed at cci so I cant honestly compare. But Ive stayed at pp and I enjoy it. I dont find the walk to be that long at all and we've stayed there in the heat of august. What I did like is that the disney magic started at the moment of check in with a balloon, photos and goodie bag( coloring book and stickers) the rooms are nice, you have a character breakfast there if interested. The pool has a nice slide and life vests for all. As mentioned the rooms have a sofa that turns into a single bed, and pack and plays which can come in handy. I have a 6 and 3 year old and love the place. good luck

Well, I just booked at the CCI. I phoned BCAA and they gave me a quote of $1,300 CND for the PPH and then I called CCI directly (BCAA can't book with them) and they gave me a quote of $607 CND!! If I can't use the Disneyland Hotel pool and if I can save all that money and I've heard such great things about the CCI I figured it was the better way to go. The $250 difference was if I was booking through the internet and since I'm always nervous about that.... I'm so excited...thanks for all the feedback!

I second what going2disneyAZ just said. Since you appear to be using AAA anyway, it would be a great added benefit to get the enhanced FastPasses(as well as the priority seating for Aladdin and a couple of other goodies).

Formerly Pat&Eil • Bring Back the AAA Enhanced FASTPASS!Check out my band, The Trist and look for our CD "Triangulation" in Sacramento Stores and online at CD Baby.com, iTunes and others.

Enhanced Fastpass

Originally Posted by Pat&Eil

I second what going2disneyAZ just said. Since you appear to be using AAA anyway, it would be a great added benefit to get the enhanced FastPasses(as well as the priority seating for Aladdin and a couple of other goodies).

I looked at booking a DL Resort through AAA for the enhanced fastpass, but I was frightened away by their harsh cancellation policy. Something like 30 days out $200 penalty, 5 days out 1/2 the price of the total package cost as a penalty!!!! They have $99 cancellation insurance but when I inquired about it, AAA said you can't cancel for just any reason....for example if someone gets sick then you have to get a doctors note and mail it in to them. Anyone figured out how to get around this. In the future I would love to go to the DLH and book through AAA for the enhanced fastpass, but this policy scares me especially since for this upcoming trip I can cancel my hotel reservations up to 6:00pm of the day I am supposed to arrive with no penalty at all (no doctors note required ) The tickets not being refundable are no problem since they are good through the end of the year and I know I will get to Disneyland somehow before then!!!

I looked at booking a DL Resort through AAA for the enhanced fastpass, but I was frightened away by their harsh cancellation policy. Something like 30 days out $200 penalty, 5 days out 1/2 the price of the total package cost as a penalty!!!! They have $99 cancellation insurance but when I inquired about it, AAA said you can't cancel for just any reason....for example if someone gets sick then you have to get a doctors note and mail it in to them. Anyone figured out how to get around this?

Yes, firm up your plans and don't cancel! I took the travel insurance on an upcoming cruise to Alaska this summer because we have a couple of elder family members in poor health and we don't know what the future holds - but why do you need such a liberal cancellation policy?

Formerly Pat&Eil • Bring Back the AAA Enhanced FASTPASS!Check out my band, The Trist and look for our CD "Triangulation" in Sacramento Stores and online at CD Baby.com, iTunes and others.

Cancellation policy

I guess I don't really need such a liberal cancellation policy but like you I have elderly family members. My husband's job can also be kindof unpredictable. I just like the idea of being able to cancel although come to think of it...knock on wood....I never have.

my family stayed both at the cci and at the pph last july and their stay at the pph was dreadful from check in to check out (read my review on mouseplanet for more details..) their experience at cci was wonderful though, very good for such a nice price and nice place... disney didnt even keep their promise to make up to us at the end! after this experience we decided to stay off resort: the hilton garden inn was a great choice and the comfort inn on harbor was a fair one also...
just my 20000cents lol...
take care
David

The Candy Cane Inn Pool is really very nice. Sparkling clean, lots of towels. They have a regular pool, a children's wading pool, and a covered hot tub. The landscaping is impecable. Lot of flowers, twinkling lights in the trees, and cobblestone street. I also know the pool area was open late, I believe later than PPH. You might want to ask. The standard rooms are kindof small and have no closet, I think the deluxe rooms are bigger and have nice complimentary room service.

What is the parking lot like? It may seem like a strange question but some of the Harbor Motels are a huge pain to park in.

Parking

The parking was fine. It was not hard to park in and it is quite large. We had trouble initially getting a space in front of the room because other cars were parked there, but we were patient and eventually got it and just left the car there the rest of the trip. Now admittedly we were there at a slow time so I don't think the motel was sold out, but the parking lot seems large enough to handle all the guests. Since there are no indoor corriders the door to your room opens out to the walkway and cars so I got a little nervous of one of my kids opening the door before we were fully dressed. Also if you have small children just be aware that you have to cross the driveway to get to the pool. Since it is the cute cobblestone it does not look like a street. I had to correct my children more than once not to run out to the pool without looking for cars. Also I would recommend asking for a room not near the laundry(not the one for guests but the one where they wash the pool towels). I was not near it, but when I walked around the facility I noticed it was very loud.

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